President Donald Trump dropped a bombshell in a New York Times interview, claiming unilateral power to revoke US citizenship on a dime—for the disloyal or dangerous. The transcript, published Sunday from last week’s talk, delves into immigration wars, security, and what it means to be American.
Naturalized citizens—foreign-born folks naturalized legally—were in the crosshairs. Trump affirmed he’d strip it ‘yes’ if needed, and ‘immediately’ at that. His administration is setting loyalty-based rules, rejecting blanket protections.
The Oval Office marathon featured Trump’s fixation on Somali-Americans, deeming Somalia a top-tier failed state whose emigrants have bred US troubles. On revoking their citizenship? ‘If dishonest, I certainly would.’
He named names: Rep. Ilhan Omar, Minnesota’s firebrand Democrat. ‘Kick her out of Congress now and send her back,’ Trump urged. Citizenship forfeiture? ‘Oh, absolutely.’ Reporters fact-checked aggressively on flimsy claims about her past; Trump shrugged them off, views unchanged.
No apologies for broad strokes on groups: ‘I don’t care. Good people who love America—that’s what I want.’ Legally, judges might balk, but Trump leaned on his border and safety authority. He teased the Insurrection Act for troop deployments in breakdowns, unneeded yet.
This fuels clashes over enforcement, removals, rights, and constitutional checks on the presidency. Law strips citizenship sparingly—fraud proof mandatory, courts central. Trump’s bold vision probes those edges, stirring a potent debate on patriotism’s enforcers.